UPDATE (2:26 p.m. ET): C.J. Wilson’s injury appears to be quite serious. According to the Lincoln (N.C.) Times-News, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback lost two fingers in a Fourth of July fireworks accident Saturday. The paper’s report has yet to be confirmed.

ORIGINAL STORY: Jason Pierre-Paul did a really stupid thing this weekend, but apparently he wasn’t alone.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback C.J. Wilson suffered the same fate as the New York Giants defensive end this weekend, according to the Tampa Tribune’s Roy Cummings.

“We are aware that C.J. was involved in an accident that occurred over the July 4th holiday,” the statement read. “It is our understanding that the injury occurred to one of his hands and our primary concern at this moment is for his long-term health. We have been in contact with C.J. and are continuing to monitor the situation.”

News of Wilson’s freak injury comes just days after reports surfaced that Pierre-Paul suffered severe burns and possible nerve damage to his hands while lighting off fireworks over the weekend.

The 25-year-old Wilson, who played in just two games for the Bucs last season and went undrafted out of NC State in 2013, isn’t exactly on the same level as Pierre-Paul, who has been named to two Pro Bowls and notched 12.5 sacks last season.

Still, Wilson’s injury should serve as another reminder to NFL players not to play with fire(works).

People at Florida State take Bobby Bowden very, very seriously. Former Seminoles quarterback Christian Ponder even named his daughter after the former coach.

That’s why Bowden’s latest comments about Jameis Winston might not bode too well for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who selected the quarterback with the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

“I think it’s a consensus among FSU fans and boosters that (Winston) was an embarrassment in a lot of ways to the university,” Bowden told SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum on Tuesday.

Bowden did go on to say he believes the former Seminoles signal-caller can shake that reputation, but he Winston needs to stop making “junior high school decisions” first.

Winston certainly has a history of making bad decisions off the field. He was cited for shoplifting crab legs from a Florida grocery store after his Heisman Trophy-winning season last April and received a one-game suspension in September for standing on a table at FSU and shouting a vulgar phrase from an Internet meme. The latter incident spoke volumes about Winston’s maturity and decision-making skills, as it came after he was accused of sexual assault in 2013.

Brandon Magee is trading in his molded football cleats for some baseball spikes.

Magee was a linebacker and special-teamer on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers until Tuesday night, when the team released him. Rather than attempt to join another NFL squad, though, the 24-year-old decided to try his hand at his second love: Baseball.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity they gave me at the time,” Magee told the Tampa Bay Times. “Right now, I’m focused on spring training.”

Magee, who played both sports in college at Arizona State, has been with the Red Sox before. In fact, Boston selected him in the 23rd round of the 2012 MLB draft, four years after the Tampa Bay Rays drafted him in the 29th round out of high school and one year after the Oakland Athletics took him in the 21st round. Magee also worked with the Red Sox in extended spring training last year before signing with the Bucs in the 2014 offseason.

The Southern California native wasn’t taken in the 2013 NFL draft, but he signed with the Dallas Cowboys shortly after. He made his NFL debut that year with the Cleveland Browns and appeared in eight games with them before joining Tampa Bay, where he played in nine games last season before going on injured reserve in December.

The 35-year-old McCown went 1-10 as a starter and had the second-lowest passer rating in the NFL after signing a two-year, $10 million contract with the Bucs last winter.

Tampa Bay has the No. 1 pick in the draft and is weighing the prospect of making Florida State’s Jameis Winston or Oregon’s Marcus Mariota the team’s quarterback of the future.

McCown completed 56 percent of his passes for 2,206 yards, 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions last season. Jacksonville Jaguars rookie Blake Bortles was the only quarterback with a passer rating lower than McCown’s 70.5.

A career backup, McCown was coming off the best season of his career with Chicago when he signed with Tampa Bay last March, a deal that reunited him with former Bears coach Lovie Smith, who was counting on the 12-year veteran to provide the Bucs with steady play and leadership.

McCown started five games in place of the injured Jay Cutler for the Bears in 2013, going 3-2 and finishing the season with 13 touchdown passes and one interception.

He struggled from the beginning with the Bucs, starting the first three games of the season — all losses — before injuring the thumb on his throwing hand and missing the next five weeks.

The Bucs weren’t much more productive with backup Mike Glennon running the offense. They lost four of five games with the second-year quarterback filling in, and Smith turned back to McCown as the losses continued to mount.

Long before the New England Patriots were accused of deflating footballs in the AFC Championship Game, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback was going to great lengths to make sure his balls had just the right feel.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Brad Johnson paid $7,500 to have 100 footballs scuffed up before Super Bowl XXXVII, he told Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times on Tuesday. Altering the balls was not easy, as the NFL apparently kept all the balls secure, but Johnson wasn’t leaving anything to chance in the biggest game of his life.

“I paid some guys off to get the balls right,” Johnson told Stroud. “I went and got all 100 footballs, and they took care of all of them.”

Johnson made his admission in the wake of this week’s “DeflateGate” controversy, in which the Indianapolis Colts claim the Patriots intentionally under-inflated balls for better grip in Sunday’s conference title game. The NFL found 11 of the 12 game balls used by the Patriots were under-inflated.

Johnson isn’t the only QB to admit he doctors footballs to some degree. Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers reportedly told CBS this season that he prefers over-inflated balls, because he likes the “tight” feel.

Whatever anyone thinks of Johnson’s ploy, nobody can argue with the results. Johnson completed 18 of 34 passes for 215 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in the Bucs’ 48-21 win over the Oakland Raiders.

Filed under: NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Top Stories]]>http://nesn.com/2015/01/bucs-qb-brad-johnson-paid-some-guys-to-alter-footballs-before-super-bowl-xxxvii/feed/00Brad JohnsonnesnstaffBen Affleck ‘Nervous’ About Ravens-Patriots Divisional-Round Matchup (Video)http://nesn.com/2015/01/ben-affleck-nervous-about-patriots-drawing-ravens-in-divisional-round-video/
http://nesn.com/2015/01/ben-affleck-nervous-about-patriots-drawing-ravens-in-divisional-round-video/#commentsWed, 07 Jan 2015 14:49:18 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=432293Read More »]]>Ben Affleck is a stupid-rich actor with good looks and a big name, so naturally the world is supposed to care about his opinions on the National Football League.

The next Batman is a Boston boy, and he’s a diehard Boston sports fan. So when the folks at TMZ caught the Oscar winner coming out of a restaurant, they had to get his take on the New England Patriots’ upcoming playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Affleck, like plenty of other Patriots fans, is wary of the matchup against Joe Flacco and the Ravens.

That’s top-notch football analysis.

Affleck’s concerns are legitimate, though. He saw the Ravens get by the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game in 2013, and he took that loss hard at the time — to the point where he swore off the Super Bowl that season.

Matt Damon, Affleck’s Hollywood bud and fellow Boston sports nut, has more confidence in the Patriots. He predicted earlier this week that New England is going to win the Super Bowl.

Filed under: NESN Staff, New England Patriots, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Top Stories]]>http://nesn.com/2015/01/ben-affleck-nervous-about-patriots-drawing-ravens-in-divisional-round-video/feed/00Ben AfflecknesnmcoleLogan Mankins: First Year Away From New England Patriots ‘Long, Tough’http://nesn.com/2015/01/logan-mankins-first-year-away-from-new-england-patriots-long-tough/
http://nesn.com/2015/01/logan-mankins-first-year-away-from-new-england-patriots-long-tough/#commentsMon, 05 Jan 2015 15:04:42 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=431476Read More »]]>
Logan Mankins’ career has changed significantly over the last four months.

Mankins, once a stalwart on the New England Patriots’ offensive line, was shipped to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in August after nine seasons with the organization that drafted him. The Bucs subsequently went 2-14 while the Patriots continued to thrive, adding to a difficult situation for the 10-year veteran.

“Oh yeah, it’s been hard,” Mankins told ESPN.com’s Jackie MacMullan in a late December interview. “It’s been a long, tough year.”

The Patriots approached Mankins about taking a pay cut before ultimately dealing him to the Bucs in exchange for tight end Tim Wright and a draft pick. Mankins revealed to MacMullan he was indeed willing to rework his contract, but it’s unclear how much the Pats wanted to decrease his $6.25 million salary.

“I was open to the idea,” Mankins said. “It was a just a matter of how much. We couldn’t agree on that.

“What they offered wasn’t good for me and what I wanted wasn’t good for them.

“And you know when you don’t (rework the deal), something can happen.”

Mankins was shipped to Tampa Bay on Aug. 26. According to MacMullan, he threw clothes into a bag and hopped on a flight to Florida, reluctantly leaving behind his family. It was a shocking development for several reasons, but one aspect of the trade stood out to Mankins as far as dealing with the change.

“Looking back on it now, especially in my case, the timing of it was very disappointing,” Mankins told MacMullan. “If it happened during free agency, that would have been a lot different.

“But the timing of how I left was the hardest part.”

Mankins still is settling in with his new team, though he acknowledged the rapport has grown stronger. The six-time Pro Bowler certainly will be keeping an eye on his former team as it embarks on another playoff run.

“They have all the pieces,” Mankins said of the Patriots, who will host the Baltimore Ravens in a divisional round game this Sunday. “I will be rooting for them. I have too many close relationships to root against those guys.”

None of the injuries appeared to be serious, Tampa Fire Rescue spokesman Jason Penny said. The strike kicked up rocks and gravel and knocked a few people down when it hit around 4 p.m.

“The boom came at the same time as the light did. It was like the speed of sound-type thing,” Packers fan Rudy Hynek said. “And it was loud. It scared the heck out of everybody. It was amazing nobody was killed.”

Bruce Kudick, of Sarasota, Fla., said the lightning appeared to hit the top of a car and “shattered the top” of it.

“I never saw a streak. I just saw this huge flash,” Hynek said. “It was like the sound and the light was at the same time, so it was like a bomb went off.”

The Packers beat the Bucs 20-3.

Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images

Filed under: NFL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, The Associated Press, Top Stories]]>http://nesn.com/2014/12/lightning-strike-at-buccaneers-game-sends-seven-to-hospital-with-injuries/feed/00BuccaneersnesndhartwellMike Evans Slams Terence Newman To Ground With Huge Block (Video)http://nesn.com/2014/12/mike-evans-slams-terence-newman-to-ground-with-huge-block-video/
http://nesn.com/2014/12/mike-evans-slams-terence-newman-to-ground-with-huge-block-video/#commentsMon, 01 Dec 2014 13:44:46 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=419001Read More »]]>Mike Evans has made his fair share of nice plays so far in his rookie season, but Sunday he added something different to his highlight reel.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver manhandled Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Terence Newman on a blocking assignment, tossing him to the ground with ease.

The 21-year-old is six inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than Newman, so his ability to dominate physically should come as no surprise.

The Bengals were able to hold off the Buccaneers 14-13 and improve to 8-3-1 on the year.

Kafka, who also was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and Jacksonville Jaguars before becoming the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ third-stringer this season, launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to produce the Roo Inferno Series Hand Pouch. The slim pouches are meant to benefit both athletes and outdoorsmen.

“I’ve spent the last two years conducting market research, prototyping and patenting the Roo Inferno, so it’s an amazing accomplishment to get to this point,” Kafka told DNAinfo. “I am even more excited to see where Kickstarter takes our company and our product.”

Kakfa said he opted for a crowd-funding campaign because it allows him to reach a broader audience. The QB said he hopes to one day see the product in stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Bass Pro Shops.

Cleveland Browns defensive end Billy Winn used two opponents to leap frog the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offensive line, then succeeded in swatting away a field-goal attempt early in the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium.

St. Louis Rams linebacker Daren Bates must’ve heard about Winn’s success because he had the same idea later in the day — he just didn’t execute it with the same finesse. He did succeed in jumping over the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive line, but the leap was poorly timed, so he was flagged for being offside.

3:57 p.m.: It took all day, but something finally appears to be happening with just minutes to spare. According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, the Buccaneers are wrapping up a trade to send linebacker Jonathan Casillas to the Patriots.

The #Bucs are finishing up a trade to send LB Jonathan Casillas to the #Patriots, source says.

“Oakland signed Justin Tuck to a two-year, $11 million contract in the offseason, but the Raiders pass rusher might not finish that deal on the West Coast if the right offer is made,” reads a story on NFL.com.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Mark Barron could also be in play, according to Rapoport.

11:05 a.m.: We have no idea if this will end up meaning anything by 4 p.m., but here are some names to watch, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

9:50 a.m.: The Seattle Seahawks recently showed they’re not afraid to make a roster-impacting move when they traded receiver Percy Harvin to the New York Jets. Now, with rumors of issues between running back Marshawn Lynch and the team, could he be the next Seahawk flying out of Seattle?

The Patriots certainly would be an interesting candidate. New England and Tampa have done plenty of wheeling and dealing over the years (including a deadline deal for Aqib Talib in 2012), and Jackson has potential to be a real weapon in an offense like the Patriots’.

8:45 a.m.: The NFL trade deadline is upon us, which means we could be in for an exciting day. Then again, it also means nothing could happen.

Deadline day in the NFL is unlike any of the other major sports. Whereas there’s plenty of movement across the other leagues, the NFL deadline is often a day with few deals being done and even fewer blockbusters. However, there are exceptions.

This year could be one of those years, too. According to reports in recent days and weeks, teams certainly are gauging interest in players across the league. Perhaps the biggest name who could be on the move prior to Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline is Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Vincent Jackson.

CBS Sports reports “a few teams” have called about the veteran wideout, but a deal won’t come cheap. According to the report, landing Jackson could take a second-round draft pick.

The Bucs might be the NFL’s busiest team on deadline day. While a V-Jax trade is still unlikely, running back Doug Martin might be the one who’s shipped out of Tampa. ESPN.com reported Sunday that teams have called about the back and that the Bucs are willing to move him for the right price. Then again, Martin suffered an ankle injury Sunday, which means trading him will be even more complicated.

No one knows for sure what will happen Tuesday, but if something does go down, we’ll have you covered. We’ll bring you all of the latest news and rumors leading right up to that 4 p.m. deadline.

While the Bucs were getting the stuffing beaten out of them by the Atlanta Falcons, LeGrand, who was paralyzed during a game at Rutgers and later signed a pro contract with Tampa Bay, offered to lend a hand.

On the bright side, at least he didn’t have to watch the Rays fall to the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 in person.

Filed under: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Top Stories]]>http://nesn.com/2014/09/rays-fan-brings-friend-to-game-via-laptop-web-camera-photo/feed/00Rays fannesnasmithLogan Mankins: ‘It’s A Sad Day Not To Be With’ New England Patriotshttp://nesn.com/2014/08/logan-mankins-its-a-sad-day-not-to-be-with-new-england-patriots/
http://nesn.com/2014/08/logan-mankins-its-a-sad-day-not-to-be-with-new-england-patriots/#commentsFri, 29 Aug 2014 01:02:05 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=380588Read More »]]>Logan Mankins is a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers now, but all the guard has ever known is the “Patriot Way.”

“It’s a sad day not to be with those guys,” Mankins said. “But I’ve got new teammates here that I’m looking forward to developing relationships with.”

And Mankins will have to develop those relationships quickly. The press conference took place before the Buccaneers’ preseason game against the Washington Redskins, and he has just over a week before his new team opens its season against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 7.

“It’s going to be tough,” Mankins said. “We’ve got a week until the first game. I’m going to try to take it in stride. I’ve got the weekend to try to get down some of the mental part of it and then all next week at practice. I’m sure the guys are going to help me as much as possible, and I’m going to try my best.”

It likely won’t be an incredibly easy transition for the six-time Pro Bowler, who spent all nine seasons of his career with the Pats. New England let Mankins go after he refused to take a pay cut, as they considered him in, if not close to, a decline.

“I might be in a little decline,” Mankins said. “I don’t know. How many guys that have played 150 games are still on the upswing? I’ve played a lot of games, a lot of snaps. But I feel like I still have something to give this game and give to this team. I’ll try my hardest for them. If it’s not good enough, it’s not. If it is, it is.”

Several of Mankins’ former Patriots teammates were “pissed” after the team traded its captain to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Tuesday, Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reported, citing a league source. Whereas Darrelle Revis described the mood at practice as “a little down,” a few unnamed Patriots used a much stronger word.

“A league source connected to several Patriots players used the ‘p’ word that rhymes with ‘missed’ to describe the mood in the locker room Tuesday,” Volin wrote Wednesday. “Many players still felt that Mankins was the best lineman on the team, the source said.”

Publicly, the Patriots were highly complimentary of Mankins after announcing the trade. Head coach Bill Belichick called Mankins the best guard he ever coached, and multiple players gushed about him as a teammate and friend after learning the news.

Sentimentality did not prevent the Patriots from making what they believed was a better football decision, however. A report Wednesday indicated the team had asked Mankins to take a pay cut before dealing him. By declining, he presumably made the team’s decision to trade him that much easier.

FOX Sports NFL reporter Jay Glazer reported Monday morning that offensive lineman Richie Incognito will meet with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. If all goes well, according to Glazer, the Bucs could offer the guard a contract extension.

Incognito hasn’t played in an NFL game since Oct. 31, 2013. He was suspended by the Miami Dolphins for his alleged role in a bullying scandal involving then-teammate Jonathan Martin. The Dolphins and Incognito eventually agreed to maintain his suspension for the entirety of the 2013 season, and Icognito became a free agent at season’s end.

The Bucs currently lack interior offensive line depth, so signing Incognito would make sense from a football standpoint. Incognito, a third-round draft pick in 2005, was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2012.

The jerseys, which were released during the offseason, have a reflective chrome border around the numbers on the front, back and shoulders. The feature “employs a reflective coating to add a unique glow to the numbers under the lights,” according to Buccaneers.com

The jerseys’ reaction to the flash of a camera is interesting, to say the least. The border around the numbers lights up, adding to the “exciting action photography produced by every Buccaneers game.”

Filed under: NFL, Nick Solari, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Top Stories]]>http://nesn.com/2014/08/buccaneers-unveil-new-glowing-uniforms-in-preseason-game-vs-jaguars-photos/feed/001407552569_bucsnesnnsolariMalcolm Glazer, Owner Of Manchester United And Buccaneers, Dies At 86http://nesn.com/2014/05/malcolm-glazer-owner-of-manchester-united-buccaneers-dies-aged-86/
http://nesn.com/2014/05/malcolm-glazer-owner-of-manchester-united-buccaneers-dies-aged-86/#commentsWed, 28 May 2014 21:16:28 +0000http://nesn.com/?p=338841Read More »]]>Malcolm Glazer, the owner of Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, died Wednesday at age 86.

Glazer purchased the National Football League’s Buccaneers for $192 million in 1995 and helped turn the franchise into a Super Bowl Champion in 2003.

Glazer bought Manchester United for £790 million ($1.47 billion) in May 2005. The Red Devils have won five Premier League titles and the 2008 UEFA Champions League crown under his ownership.

In August 2012, the Glazer family successfully launched an initial public offering of Manchester United shares on the New York Stock Exchange, firming up his family’s control over the English soccer giant.

The Glazer family will continue to own both clubs and his sons, Joel and Avram, will retain their positions as co-chairmen of Manchester United.

“The thoughts of everyone at Manchester United are with his family tonight,” Manchester United said, according to the BBC.

Glazer leaves behind his wife, Linda, six children and 14 grandchildren.